Whenever I’m preaching the gospel of using cloth diapers, the potential convert always has one question that’s just really, really hard. Invariably, I get asked “Which one is the best cloth diaper?”

That’s always a tricky question. You see, the answer is “It depends.”

That’s so not helpful, right?

I know. I really, really get it. I remember having that same question three years ago when I first decided that I wanted to use cloth diapers. I was just barely pregnant with Norton and was researching like mad. I couldn’t understand why on earth there was no cut and dry answer to the best cloth diaper question.

What does it depend on? Well, there are a variety of different issues that can impact the answer.

Price point. If you can’t afford to spend $30 on a diaper, then telling you how much I love a particular premium brand won’t help you at all. If anything, it’ll just make it seem like cloth diapering is completely and utterly out of your reach.

Style. There are several styles of cloth diapers. All in ones, pockets, all in twos, hybrids, fitted, contours, prefolds, and flats. Then once you get into those styles, you’ll have a billion different brands to choose from. Before you can even tackle the brand, knowing the type will be super helpful. Then you start getting into styles of closures, like Velcro vs. snap and front snap vs. side snaps. There isn’t one that’s inherently better or worse. It’s all a matter of personal preference, as each has its own pros and cons.

Your baby. This is the most crucial, individual thing of all. Babies are delightfully squirmly, wiggly creatures that come in all different shapes. Some are born chunky with little Michelin man rolls and larger thighs. Others are born with little scrawny chicken legs. Sometimes your baby’s shape will change enough that you may not prefer the same diaper from birth to potty training, even if it does technically fit. A diaper that might work amazingly well on one child (or even one of your own children) may not work as well on another child (or your next child). Plus, as your own proficiency level changes, you may be more interested in experimenting with other diapers.

Be careful, though, because that’s what happened to me. And now, I’m a total cloth diaper addict! Hopefully you’ll find answers to all of your cloth diapering questions on this site.